There’s plenty of advice on what to do if you encounter a bear in the wild but grocery shop employees in Alaska didn’t know quite how to react when a cub ran in through their automatic doors.

The bear cub entered the Alaskan grocery store through its automatic doors before climbing into a fruit and veg stand (Picture: YouTube)

Too scared to approach it, staff and shoppers at Tatsuda’s IGA supermarket in Ketchikan watched as the small bear wandered the aisles before hopping up on the fruit and vegetable display.

The store’s meat department manager emerged with a small net, thinking a bird was loose, after mishearing an announcement over the PA.

When police showed up they tried to coax they nervous bear away from the fruit and veg display before a brave customer grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and directed it back outside, where it was released into the wild.

A brave customer grabbed the cub and released it outside (Picture: YouTube)

It is believed the cub, which locals said was on the small side for this time of year, was orphaned since a mother bear wasn’t seen nearby.

Newborn bears tend to feed mainly on green vegetation, and can make do on just this throughout the year if they are unable to find fish.

The store gave thousands of pounds worth of ruined vegetables to a livestock owner, local radio station KRBD reported.